Essential Swim Gear

A Beginners Guide to Basic Essential Swim Gearto make the most of your swim:

So you want to be a swimmer? An equipped swimmer with all the essentials to make the most of your swim, but do you really need Fins, paddles, kick boards, Pull buoys, Goggles, Caps, Nose Plugs, and ear plugs? All this swim gear is great to have with you, but which ones are essential for a good quality swim workout, especially if you’re just starting out?

Any Towel will do BUT a DRY TOWEL will save you!

I always like to be as frugal as I can, so I figure any old towel will do; but when I discovered this DRY Towel; all I have to say is it’s great for saving space rather than trying to stuff a large beach towel into your tote bag. PLUS this towel will dry fast, not only you, but you won’t run into the problem of having a sopping wet towel soak through to whatever you wish to keep from getting wet. *Plus this towel can also be used in your super hero wardrobe (scroll down for goggle image).

Whatever Floats your boat… But I vote for the Pull Buoy!

The above items are my absolute essentials for when I’m in the water. For a few years I toted around my kick board, fins, paddles, and pull buoy. Each are wonderful, and if you can play around with all of them, go for it; however, I’ve found that my Pull buoy can substitute for a kick board as well as (in a way) an aqua belt (this requires me to lean at a certain angle and sometimes having to hold onto it with my hands if I’m trying to jog fast). It’s also a major space saver when using this buoy for multiple purposes.

The Swim Cap

There are a few reasons why the swim cap is an essential for me. The vibrant color speaks for itself, and holding my hair back is a major reason, but having the swim cap on helps me to get a bit extra protection for when I’m swimming in cold fresh water such as Barton Springs or Deep Eddy. There are thermal swim caps too for the winter time. Not only does it keep me head a little warmer, but what I really like about the cap is that it helps lock in my ear plugs. This is a major thing if you tend to get water stuck in your ear or if the coldness of the water effects your ears in any way.

Goggles… They might even turn you into a super hero if necessary.

There are all sorts of goggles out there. I use Speedo. If you swim outdoors in the sun, you may want to get tinted goggles. The best way to find what works for you is to try them on at the store for the best fit. And seriously, these goggles might turn you into a super hero. *They’re also handy if you tear up while cutting onions!!

Swimmers Ear Plugs.

I spent too many months and years swimming without these suckers. Too many days shaking my head side to side to get the water out, or to shake that irritating cold ears and head feeling. Swimming ear plugs are not all the same, but when you find a good pair, they work! These are my top choices: By the way, THESE ear plugs stay put with or without help of a swim cap!

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Discussion1 Comment

For the last 20+ years of swimming, whenever I swam in cold water I would always get a bit dizzy coming out. Since using ear plugs the dizziness has disappeared.

It must have something to do with cold water getting in the ears and an messing with my awesome navigational system.

The other advantage of using earplugs is it seems to keep me a bit warmer when swimming. I swim in water that is about 68 degrees and always felt pretty cold. This year after using the earplugs the water is easier to handle.